Bruce Cockburn ~ brucecockburn.com
Bruce Cockburn has always been a restless spirit. Over the course of four decades, the celebrated Canadian artist has traveled to the corners of the earth out of humanitarian concerns—often to trouble spots experiencing events that have led to some of his most memorable songs. Going up against chaos, even if it involves grave risks, can be necessary to get closer to the truth. [Top]
Ian Tyson ~ iantyson.com
IAN TYSON: MUSICIAN, RANCHER, STORYTELLER, AND CANADIAN ICON. Canada’s legendary songwriter releases Raven Singer, his first album of new songs in four years. At 78 this man is not slowing down. In 2012, Ian Tyson is closing in on nearly six decades of performing. Six decades of singing stories that tell the real truth about horses and men, love sustained and relationships broken, heroes and heroines and the land and the weather and the Prairie sky. [Top]
Ray: Born in French Canada and raised in the United States, he writes from his experience as an immigrant, Vietnam War vet, taxi driver and bush pilot, drawing inspiration from the many places he has called home—Montreal, New Orleans, Colorado, Arkansas, Alaska, Boston, Seattle and Paris, France.
Gurf: Music captured Morlix's imagination from a very early age growing up
in Buffalo, New York, as he soaked up the many sounds to be found on
the airwaves. On hearing the Everly Brothers singing "Cathy's Clown"
for the first time, Morlix found his mission in life. "It was like,
'That's what I want to do!' It was earth-shattering music to me,
really amazing." After seeing the Beatles make their U.S. debut on
"The Ed Sullivan Show," his fate was sealed.[Top]
Kim Churchill ~ kimchurchill.com
It would be an understatement of gross proportions to say that 20 year old guitarist, surfer and singer-songwriter Kim Chirchill posesses drive. The Canberra-born, Marimbula-bred musician is more itinerant than a Kalahari Bushman trying to divest his people of a Coke bottle.
Current Swell ~ currentswell.com
Victoria, BC-based Current Swell is in the foreground of the new roots music front. The band has been around for a few years getting their early recognition around the world as a mainstay in the surf-rock community. Their sound continues to develop into a blues and roots feel, gaining even more popularity with their fans while sharing stages with bands such as Xavier Rudd, The Beautiful Girls, Bedouin Soundclash, the Beach Boys and many others.[Top]
Elage Diouf ~ elagediouf.com
In 1996 Élage Diouf left Senegal with his brother. Introduced to music and percussions at a very young age, the lyricist, composer and percussionist has participated in an array of musical projects alongside Quebecois musicians since his departure from Africa – notably Les Colocs and Ariane Moffatt. Elage has made name for himself in the world music scene given his capacity to integrate Senegalese musical traditions with local music trends.[Top]
Carrie Elkin ~ carrieelkin.com
Carrie Elkin is a soulful singer with a gypsy spirit, a songwriter with a keen eye. Inspired by her travels and the many places she has called home-- Ohio, New Mexico, Colorado, Boston, Austin--she documents the human condition with sensitivity and humor, crafting songs that have garnered attention at prestigious songwriting contests, including Mountain Stage NewSong and the Falcon Ridge Emerging Artist Showcase. [Top]
Mike Farris ~ mikefarrismusic.com
With recording near completion on his next solo project, Already Alright, Mike Farris continues to amaze audiences whenever he plays solo or with any one of his different configurations from the stripped down Cumberland Saints to the full 9 piece Roseland Rhythm Revue. His voice connects and mesmerizes in such a way that it doesn’t matter if the songs are his own compositions or ones sung 200 years ago. [Top]
Jeremy Fisher ~ myspace.com/jeremyfisher
Canadian folk-pop troubadour Jeremy Fisher first broke onto the scene a decade ago, and since then his career has been on a steady upward trajectory. That momentum is bound to keep on building with the release of his latest album, Flood, due out on October 26 (Aquarius Records in Canada / Wind-up Records in the United States). The fourth LP from the two-time Juno nominee, it comes hot on the heels of a Fisher-created summer bicycle tour and a slew of video side projects from the multi-talented artist. [Top]
George Kahumoku Jr. & Masters of Hawaiian Music ~ slackkey.com
Hawaii's Renaissance Man, George Kahumoku Jr, is a multiple Grammy & Hoku Award winning master slack key guitar and vocalist, songwriter, performer, teacher, artist and sculptor, story-teller and writer, farmer and entrepreneur. George is known for playing slack key on a jumbo12-string guitar because he loves the full sound and the lower bass tones of this guitar. [Top]
Locarno ~ locarnomusic.com
Locarno is the Latin project of Juno award winning musician and Paperboys frontman, Tom Landa. The music, like him, is part Mexican but with strong doses of Cuban Son, Folk Music, Pop and Funk. There are threads of Son Jarocho and Salsa but the songs are more edgy and contemporary than that. [Top]
Mairtin O’Connor Trio ~ myspace.com/mairtinoconnorband
The trio of Máirtín, Cathal and Seamie first performed live together at a gig in Sligo town organised in memory of Dervish soundman Fin Corrigan. The rapport with each other and the audience was immediate and since then, the three have successfully played gigs in Ireland, Britain, mainland Europe and Australia. [Top]
David Myles ~ davidmyles.com
A warm, easy performer, David brings his audiences to their feet wherever he plays. His unabashed joy at being on stage is infectious and his musicianship is superb. Add his tendency to regale his audiences with humorous anecdotes, and it comes as no surprise that David is an instant hit with live audiences around the world.
New Country Rehab ~ newcountryrehab.com
Take Canada’s hottest fiddle player, a guitarist who evokes Tom Morello and Kevin Breit, a percussionist who grooves on sawblades as readily as he does cookie sheets mix together with one of the most versatile double bass players in Canada and you get NEW COUNTRY REHAB. [Top]
Red Molly ~ redmolly.com
Red Molly knows about optimism and joy. The band's fans, referred to as "RedHeads", have always responded to the sense that the band is a group of friends, sharing songs in their living room. That's exactly how it felt in 2004 when Laurie MacAllister (guitar, banjo, bass), Abbie Gardner (dobro, guitar) and Carolann Solebello (guitar, bass) sat around a campfire at the Falcon Ridge Folk Festival, singing and talking about their favorite songwriters. [Top]
Rosie Burgess Trio ~ rosieburgess.com
Sometimes it’s hard to fit people into boxes, and the music being produced by The Rosie Burgess Trio is no exception. Sliding from folk to blues to gypsy-roots and back, the trio cross more genres than state borders, giving off “more energy than an illegally sparked firecracker” [Drum Media, Sydney], whilst still maintaining their unmistakable flavour. [Top]
Jack Semple ~ jacksemple.com
The blues occasionally takes root in some weird places. In the case of Jack Semple these roots found fertile soil on a farm just north of Regina Saskatchewan, where a young Semple first picked up a guitar. [Top]
Suzie Vinnick & Rick Fines ~ rickandsuzie.com
It was more than twelve years ago when Rick Fines met Suzie Vinnick. Ottawa’s Chopper McKinnon, host of CKCU radio’s Canadian Spaces, thought that the two should meet and pointed Rick to a club where Suzie was playing. “I was so impressed with her bass playing,” says Fines, “then she stepped up to the mike to sing! As soon as the set was over I was there asking ‘How do I get to play music with you?!’[Top]
